In a world like ours, there is trouble, jealousy, anger and frustration. Now, let’s think of what could be the cause for all of this. Money, yes. Money is something we all need, to survive (in whatever way one wants to survive). Love is something we all need. Love is a concept that stems from kindness, friendship and consideration. All of this means that we must be kind in our talks and our thoughts.
Thanksgiving is an English festival. Not really celebrated in India, apart from the resident Catholics. Hindus have their own celebrations that involve garlands and pujas all the time. But there is something special about Thanksgiving Day that resonates with my mind. Something that says ‘be grateful for all that you have, and always be thankful to those around you for being there for you’. In my opinion, nothing is purer than this feeling. To be humble, to be thankful, and to be grateful for all that we have, and all that we achieve.
Life is a kaleidoscope of experiences. Sometimes we have ups and sometimes we have our downs. But staying positive, looking forward to the best that is yet to come, and being thankful for all that we are given, is what we can do. Mindfulness plays a large role in this routine. It is the art of fully focusing on the task at hand, and giving your all to it. So, in my opinion, if you are thanking someone for something, you must truly mean it. Gratitude is a marvelous quality to own, and it only gets larger and larger. Thankfulness for everything that we have and will receive in the future.
Expressing gratitude is the usual November ritual. A repertoire that begins with thanking a higher power for our families, then our friends, our education and then our wealth and opportunities. It proceeds with a feast to enjoy the gratitude and the opportunities given to us. A celebration of all that we are privileged with.
So instead, I ask you this: why not modify our thanksgivings? Why not work on a larger scale to be grateful? Why not SHARE all that we have; not just with our near and dear ones. With those less fortunate.
Gratitude is a powerful emotion; but sadly, it is a fleeting one. It doesn’t last, unless we consciously make it last. A routine is formed out of habit. And what better habit to have than to be kind and grateful at every step? For example, and let’s take COVID ‘season’ into consideration here; if someone near our home is infected with the virus, what would be the first thought in your head?
“Thank god it didn’t happen to us”, or something on the lines of “We better stay the hell away from them”. But did this ever occur to you: “How will they manage their meals? Who is giving them their nutritious food to get better? How will they get any supplies?” It’s not uncommon for us to think like this. It’s how our minds have been conditioned. To stay safe, we should stay away from the unwell. But, it takes time and patience to recondition our minds to – “I need to be more thoughtful for someone else. I need to pray and be grateful for being able to help them in their time of need.”
Or, take another scenario for example. You’re used to a lavish lifestyle and suddenly everything is taken away from you for a brief period. Your parents want to understand how you would live life without the extra comforts you have. How would you react to this? The obvious answers are always the obvious answers. But I will suggest a different train of thought:
- Life is good with my loved ones around.
- I am grateful for the roof over my head, and food to keep me going.
- I am grateful for the education I was offered, so that I may be able to sustain if times get hard.
Imbibe. Learn. Evolve. This is what thankfulness is all about. It’s about being offered the simplicity of life and making the most of it every step of the way. It’s always the little things that count. So be thankful, be grateful, be kind and be loving. The world needs more of that.
Enjoy every meal. Count every blessing. What you see around you, is something you may never see again. So, take in every moment like it’s the best you’ve come across. Make thanksgiving more about your contributions than about your gains!
Written By Anish Masand
Week 49, December ‘20
